Auburn, AL to Stevenson, AL is 209 miles and takes about 4h 22m via US 280 and I-59, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Southeast region, entirely within Alabama. You'll spend most of your time on highways, making it a straightforward drive. With only one recommended stop and a duration under five hours, this route is ideal for a single-day excursion. It’s a practical choice if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently within the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
104.5 miles from Auburn, AL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 10m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 280
57.3 mi
1h 8m
AL 77
41.1 mi
1h
I 59
37.2 mi
39m
South Broadway Avenue
22.7 mi
26m
John T Reid Parkway
16.8 mi
19m
Tammy Little Drive
12.6 mi
16m
East Main Street
8.9 mi
12m
North College Street
4.8 mi
7m
Longest stretch:
US 280
— 57.3 mi, about 1h 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Auburn, AL and Stevenson, AL.
1
Start on this road
291 ft·24 sec·this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto North College Street
4.0 mi·6 min·North College Street
3
Enter roundabout onto AL 147
79 ft·1 sec·North College Street
4
Continue on AL 147
0.7 mi·1 min·North College Street
5
Take the ramp onto AL 147
165 ft·3 sec·North College Street
6
Continue on US 280; AL 147
14 mi·15 min·US 280; AL 147
7
Continue on US 280; AL 50
6.4 mi·7 min·US 280; AL 50
8
Continue on US 280; AL 49
13 mi·15 min·US 280; AL 49
9
Continue on US 280; AL 22
24 mi·29 min·US 280; AL 22
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
11
Turn right
100 ft·2 sec
12
Merge onto AL 21
0.9 mi·1 min·Rockford Highway
13
Continue on AL 21
23 mi·26 min·South Broadway Avenue
14
Turn left onto AL 77
41 mi·1 hr·AL 77
Use the straight lane.
15
Turn left
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I-59 North: GadsdenUse the left lane.
16
Merge onto I 59
37 mi·39 min·I 59
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Exit 218Toward 35: Fort Payne, Rainsville
18
Turn left onto AL 35
3.8 mi·5 min·Glenn Boulevard Southwest
19
Continue on AL 35
8.9 mi·12 min·East Main Street
20
Continue on AL 35
13 mi·16 min·Tammy Little Drive
21
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward US 72
22
Merge onto US 72
17 mi·19 min·John T Reid Parkway
23
Take the exit
0.2 mi·40 sec
Toward AL 117: Stevenson
24
Turn left onto AL 117
1.4 mi·2 min·AL 117
25
Turn left onto AL 117
98 ft·4 sec·West Main Street
26
Turn right
111 ft·8 sec
27
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour drive time, leaving Auburn in the morning allows you to reach Stevenson with plenty of daylight to spare. You'll want to plan for one stop to stretch your legs or refuel, as the longest continuous driving segment is over 57 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you transition from US 280 to other highways, to ensure you have enough to reach your destination or the next service area. The relatively short duration means you don't need to break this up, offering flexibility in your departure time.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 104.5 miles from Auburn, AL, or about 2h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 57.3 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 46 miles or 56m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 104.5 miles or 2h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Stevenson, AL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Auburn, AL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Auburn, AL
This is one driving day of about 209 miles and 4h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 46 miles from Auburn, AL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on US 280 for about 57.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 209 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|North College Street
At end of road, turn right onto North College Street
Navigation decision point
5
85.9 mi into trip|~1h 43m in|AL 77
Turn left onto AL 77
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
127 mi into trip|~2h 43m in
Turn left toward I-59 North: Gadsden
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I-59 North: Gadsden
6
164.7 mi into trip|~3h 24m in
Take the exit toward 35: Fort Payne, Rainsville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 218
Toward 35: Fort Payne, Rainsville
5
209 mi into trip|~4h 22m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.53 one way
$65.07 round trip
$3.95/gal25.4 MPG avg73 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$35.87
$71.73
premium
$4.71
$38.76
$77.53
diesel
$6.18
$50.84
$101.69
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 73.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $22 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
62.7
0
$21.95
$10.03
Efficient EV
52.3
0
$18.29
$8.36
EV Truck/SUV
83.6
1
$29.26
$13.38
Gas CO2
73 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Oct 17, 2026
Origin
Auburn, AL
Morning
in Auburn on Sunday
Local time
8:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
68°F
Sunny
N 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 17 at 7:37AM CDT until October 17 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Mobile AL
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 17 at 2:23AM EDT until October 17 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
Destination
Stevenson, AL
Morning
in Stevenson on Sunday
Local time
8:35 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Sunny
N 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 17 at 7:37AM CDT until October 17 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Mobile AL
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued October 17 at 2:23AM EDT until October 17 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Tallahassee FL
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
6 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 22m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Russell Cave National Monument
National Monument
Russell Cave National Monument is an archeological site with one of the most complete records of prehistoric cultures in the Southeast. In the 1950s, archeologists uncovered a large quantity of artifa...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily highway, with 74% of the route on interstates and major roads. You'll encounter a 57.3-mile stretch on US 280 before transitioning to other highways. Expect mostly highway cruising, with some sections potentially having more frequent exits as you approach and leave urban areas.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 57.3 mi on US 280.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 280 and AL 77. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North College Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 22m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North College Street): Navigation decision point; at 85.9 miles (AL 77): Lane positioning matters here; at 127 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,275 ft507 ft
Total Climb
1,020 ft
Total Descent
1,087 ft
Highest Point
1,275 ft
~179.2 mi in
Elevation Range
768 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Auburn, AL and Stevenson, AL, road signs point toward 35: Fort Payne and Rainsville.
Auburn is in the River Heritage region of Alabama, and home to Auburn University in downtown Auburn. During the university's home football games, the town fills up with thousands of alumni and college football fans for a weekend of tailgating.
Top landmarks
•Auburn University Historic District — historic district in Auburn, Alabama
The longest stretch is about 57.3 miles on US 280. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 8 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North College Street): Navigation decision point; at 85.9 miles (AL 77): Lane positioning matters here; at 127 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Russell Cave National Monument and Freedom Riders National Monument. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 4.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.7 hours — manageable with a long break at Stevenson, AL, but most travelers stay overnight.
